A look at the Super Bowl ads with political agendas

Whether you were rooting for the Patriots or for the Giants, there’s one thing everyone can thank the Super Bowl gods for — the fact that our airwaves weren’t inundated with presidential candidates promoting their ideals. (Just corporations advertising the things that Americans can really rally around).

Still, scattered among the promotions for beer, cars, Doritos and not much else, were a few commercials with political agendas.

During the second quarter, we saw a commercial from Mayors Against Illegal Guns, starring New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Tom Menino, co-chairs of the coalition.

After playful banter about the east-coasters’ differences (Red Sox vs. Yankees, Beans vs. Bagels –- you know, the important things in life), the mayors urge people to “support the second amendment” and “do more to keep guns out of the hands of criminals.”

They ask viewers to do the “patriotic” thing and make a “giant” difference (ha) and “add your voice.” Hopefully your voice comes with a more pleasant accent.

After the second quarter ended, Chrysler told America it’s only halftime.

Narrated by Clint Eastwood, the company used Motor City as an example of how to come from behind, come together and win. For two (costly) minutes, the ad went on, urging Americans to look forward (and Midwest).

In an intimidating close up, Eastwood’s said, “This country can’t be knocked out with one punch, we get back up again and when we do the worlds gonna hear the roar of our engines.”

The only thing missing? The line that says, “Paid for by enormous government bailouts.”

Here in Washington D.C., we saw an ad from the Center for Union Facts during the third quarter, promoting the Employee Rights Act.

The commercial takes place at a repair shop, where workers complain about Union dues coming out of their paycheck, even though they didn’t vote to join.

The ad states, “Only 10 percent of people in unions today actually voted to join the union. Everyone deserves to vote at least one time,” which is reason number two for the Employee Rights Act.

Reason number one? They didn’t say.

After the game was over, Vote4Energy ran an ad promoting American energy development as a path to economic recovery.

Paid for by the American Petroleum Institute, the commercial featured men and women listing the reasons why they voted for energy. They don’t make it clear how one can exactly go about voting for energy (is that supposed to be a write in? or…), but they urge you to visit the website.